Tuckwells: Supporting farmers for 70 years and beyond

In 1965, Tuckwells was appointed one of the UK’s first John Deere dealers and is now one of the popular brand’s main dealers in the region, employing over 300 people across 10 locations in Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent and East Sussex.

With a wide selection of the John Deere range on offer, the choice of combine harvesters has just been bolstered by the arrival of eight new models.

With four models each in the new T5 and T6 walker combine ranges, the new releases come with an impressive range of engine power outputs, starting with the T5 400 with its 305hp 6.8-litre engine right up to the 466hp 9-litre engine boasted by the T6 800 model.

The new models promise improved levels of comfort and convenience with some features shared from the flagship John Deere combine – the X9 – such as the 3.68m3 cab with electronic dust sealing door and pressurised cabin to keep dust and debris from entering the cab. They are also equipped with 10 12V and USB outlets in the cab for powering or charging additional equipment.

An optional ActiveSeatII delivers fully adjustable electronic controls, electronic suspension and all-round cooling for additional operator comfort. The CommandPro joystick provides a customisable control unit that can store different settings for different operators on a touchscreen control.

The new models come with increased grain tank sizes: 13,500 litres for the T6 and 11,500 litres for the T5, with unloading speeds of up to 150 litres per second, allowing a full T6 model to be unloaded in just 90 seconds.

Smart farming features prominently on the new models, with advanced John Deere Ag technology such as the StarFire7500 integrated receiver and the G5Plus CommandCentre display that offers a 12.8in high-definition screen with intuitive menu functions. Optionally you can equip the T5 and T6 with the G5Plus extended monitor for additional functionality including Machine Sync, whereby the combine driver controls the tractor’s speed, direction and position for more precise offloading.

Good dealer relationship a priority

Arable farmer David Nunn, of R J Nunn & Sons, has been operating in Stowmarket since 1937, and is currently farming 800ha in total. He has been dealing with Tuckwells for around 20 years.

“They are local to us and have provided great service, which as far as I am concerned is the most important thing,” David explains. “For me, the product is almost second to this. You can buy a tractor from anyone, and of any brand, but if the after sales support and specialist knowledge isn’t there, the make of the equipment you choose is almost irrelevant. We are all farming more and more, with fewer people so the reliance on machinery becomes ever greater and we simply cannot afford unnecessary downtime. I really cannot fault Tuckwells in that regard. They hold quite a bit of equipment in stock and if they can’t get a problem fixed quickly, they will get another machine out to fill the gap.”

David is currently running four John Deere tractors, a combine and a sprayer, all of which were supplied by Tuckwells. He also has a JCB telehandler, again purchased through Tuckwells. “We have ended up with a John Deere fleet as much due to the brand being represented by Tuckwells as anything else; but I have to say that my team really like driving them. We employ two operators, and they really understand how to use them, and the fact that the operating systems are very similar across the range makes it easy for any of us to get in any machine and just use it.

“We use the John Deere Greenstar system across the board, which simplifies things. Using this system also makes it easier to manage if things go wrong. The specialist service team have a complete understanding of the Greenstar system and if anything goes wrong, they can ‘dial’ into the machine and often diagnose, or even fix it, remotely, which can save both time and money.”

David’s current combine is a John Deere S790i rotary tracked model, which is just coming up to its fifth harvest, and he admits that it makes the farm ‘over-combined’ by design. “Being over-combined saves on drying costs, as we can do more when the weather is dry,” David explains. “The rotary combine is different to a straw walker version and means we must combine when the sun is shining, as it just won’t cope with the dampness that the evening brings, which is another reason we choose to be over-combined.”

He opted for a tracked version as it is more stable and causes less field damage when the ground is soft.

David is very pleased with every aspect, from its comfort to its performance, and particularly likes the Greenstar synchronising facility whereby the combine and trailer-pulling tractor will ‘talk’ to each other and the tractor is effectively controlled by the combine, keeping it perfectly positioned without operator input.

He has no current plans to upgrade the combine, or any other machine, at this time. He does, however, say that “any machine is always for sale if the right deal can be put together”. “The relationship we have with Tuckwells is such that they usually tell us when we are replacing or upgrading a machine, and that arrangement seems to work well,” David concludes.

Tuckwells agricultural sales manager Tom Mason, commented: “David and James have been running John Deere combines since 2008 with the first being a John Deere S690i with a 30ft platform and a rape extension header. Their current machine is a John Deere S790 complete with tracks and a 35ft extending platform. David and James have always embraced technology and recognise the value in spreading this across all farming operations.”

16 years of John Deere combines

Farm owner Paul Howland works just under 300ha of arable cropping, as well as managing around 1,500 pigs, close to Beccles in Norfolk. He has had a relationship with Tuckwells for over 20 years and has been harvesting with John Deere combines for 16 years. His current combine, a five-year-old T560i, is the second of this model that he’s owned, and his third John Deere combine in total.

“We have a great relationship with Tuckwells and they have a superb service technician, Joe, who I specifically request as he knows the machine well,” explains Paul. “I give him a hand where I can, which helps me learn more about the machine. Joe lives locally, so if I have a problem, he will pop down to have a look. However, with remote access through the Greenstar system, Joe or anyone else in the team at Tuckwells can access the machine, even if they are out on another job, take it over remotely and tell me whether it can be fixed remotely, or needs a scheduled visit. I really couldn’t ask for better service.

“The cab is amazing – it’s quiet, very comfortable and great to work in. We blow it down every morning and I am meticulous about looking after it,” Paul comments.

“I am pleased with its fuel efficiency and its performance is phenomenal. We get a great sample out of all crops, especially OSR.

“I went with a straw walker, rather than a rotary, because I need the straw quality for our pigs and it’s easier when I am rolling bales out if the straw is a decent length. Visibility from the cab is excellent and the lighting is superb. Although this is the second one of these models I have bought, we specified this one with a double drum, as it provides extra threshing capacity. We run it with a 25ft header, but it can take up to 30ft, which for a small machine is pretty impressive.

“What I really like about the header is that by simply using a button in the cab I can push my cutter bar right forward, so that I don’t have to spend two hours putting a Zurn header on when harvesting OSR or other tall crops. I also like that I can rig the side knives easily. I can go from being set up for barley to rigged for OSR in just a couple of minutes, which is amazing. The Greenstar system is clever. If I’m combining and think that the sample isn’t as clean as when I started, maybe because the crop has become drier and more brittle, rather than guessing what to change I press a button on the main screen and it provides a list of possible improvements, such as changing cylinder speed by a certain amount. I accept the suggestion and it will change the parameter automatically and, after doing so, it will ask if the problem is fixed. If not, it will make further suggestions until it’s sorted. It takes much of the guesswork out of setting the machine up.”

Just before Farmers Guide visited, Paul had returned from a refresher day and had seen the new T5 and T6 models. “You would be hard placed to see much difference between the new models and my machine, but I think that’s simply because it’s a proven recipe and there really isn’t much that needs changing. It’s got a new cab, which is nice, and a great idea is the air tank that they have put above the back wheel, up high, so that you can blow your filters down, which is handy,” he observes. However, Paul has no immediate plans to upgrade. “We usually run a combine for five or six seasons, but this one could easily do another five or six, so I am in no rush to change.”

Paul’s local sales rep, Tom Miller commented: “Tuckwells have a great relationship with Paul and we recognise that he often has to work around the clock this time of year, like many farms. So, having people in the service team like Joe Almond, our technician who mainly looks after Paul’s combine, is vital to help minimise any downtime.”

Visit the Tuckwells website for more information.

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